“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“What are you grateful for?”
That was the usual Thanksgiving table talk when our children were young — honestly, it’s still what we talk about at Thanksgiving. I’ll bet many of your households are similar. Somehow passing a large bowl of perfectly mashed potatoes followed with homemade gravy makes it a little easier to recall what we’re grateful for.
But there are many other moments both before and after that beautiful dinner on the table when it’s not so easy to be thankful. Many of those moments are complicated — loved ones are missing from the gatherings — health challenges have taken their toll — relationships have deteriorated or broken completely — financial stability has plummeted — or we’re just plain tired and stressed. When any of those situations become real, our hearts hurt and our minds are distant and it’s a bit challenging to even figure out what there is to be thankful for.
The interesting thing about our theme verse (above) is that the Apostle Paul charged his readers to give thanks in ALL circumstances. What he meant was to give thanks when the mashed potatoes were hot and buttery and perfect and also to give thanks when the eyes were swollen from tears and the heart ached. Because there truly is something to be grateful for in every circumstance.
That’s one thing I’ve learned through this year of treatment. Whenever I had to be somewhere I didn’t want to be, talk about things I didn’t want to consider, do things I would rather not — there was always something to be thankful for. And even if I didn’t find something to be thankful for, I could rest in someone to be thankful for because I always knew that my Lord was right with me.
Elisabeth Elliott once said, “Let thanksgiving be the habit of your life.” I love that thought. When something becomes a habit — we just do it — we hardly think about it at all. I wonder if that isn’t the key to giving thanks in ALL circumstances. And by the way, Paul didn’t say to give thanks for all circumstances, but rather, in the midst of those circumstances. However, I’ve learned in life that sometimes we turn around and even give thanks for the rough patches because of what the Lord did in our lives through them.
I hope you have some good opportunities this holiday week to cultivate the habit of thanks-giving. And I hope you can share some of what you are thankful for with others.
On Friday of this week, I will have hit the halfway mark for radiation, and I’m thankful for each session and for the energy the Lord has restored to me. I’m also thankful for each of you who read these little blog posts and share with me how you have been encouraged!
My Love & Blessings,
Sue